Even though Lakewood's Zoning Board approved a proposal for the controversial Orthodox girl's high school to be moved to the township, it's not clear whether the school's leader is going to abandon an earlier plan to build a new school building in Jackson.

Ronald Gasiorowski , attorney for the opposition speaks at Jackson Township Zoning Board hearing for building an all girls orthodox high school in Jackson. Wednesday June 18, 2014 Jackson. Photo by Robert Ward (Photo: Staff Photographer)

Raymond Shea, attorney for the applicant addresses the Jackson Township Zoning Board during hearing for building a all girls orthodox high school in Jackson. Wednesday June 18, 2014 Jackson. Photo by Robert WardRaymond Shea, attorney for the applicant addresses the Jackson Township Zoning Board during hearing for building a all girls orthodox high school in Jackson. Wednesday June 18, 2014 Jackson. Photo by Robert Ward (Photo: Staff Photographer)

Chairman Steve Costanzo, and board attorney Sean Gertner listen to testimony during Jackson Township Zoning Board hearing for building an all girls orthodox high school in Jackson. Wednesday June 18, 2014 Jackson. Photo by Robert Ward (Photo: Staff Photographer)

Raymond Shea, attorney for the applicant addresses the Jackson Township Zoning Board during hearing for building a all girls orthodox high school in Jackson. Wednesday June 18, 2014 Jackson. Photo by Robert Ward (Photo: Staff Photographer)

Raymond Shea, attorney for the applicant addresses the Jackson Township Zoning Board during hearing for building a all girls orthodox high school in Jackson. Wednesday June 18, 2014 Jackson. Photo by Robert Ward (Photo: Staff Photographer)

Jackson Township Zoning Board hearing for building an all girls orthodox high school in Jackson. Wednesday June 18, 2014 Jackson. Photo by Robert WardJackson Township Zoning Board hearing for building an all girls orthodox high school in Jackson. Wednesday June 18, 2014 Jackson. Photo by Robert Ward (Photo: Staff Photographer)

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In a turnaround from Jackson's decision, the Lakewood Township Planning Board approved a proposal Tuesday to relocate Oros Bais Yaakov to Rutgers Boulevard.

The school's leader, Rabbi Ephraim Birnhaum, could not be reached for comment on whether this meant he had given up on the Jackson site. Raymond Shea, an attorney who represents Oros Bais Yaakov before Jackson's board, said Birnbaum is considering whether to appeal the unanimous decision by Jackson's Zoning Board of Adjustment and he's awaiting his decision. Birnbaum's attorney for the Lakewood application, Leah Lederberger, said she was not authorized to comment on the matter.

Many Jackson residents believe there may not be an appeal from Birnbaum as a result of Tuesday night's decision.

Barbara Orsini of Galassi Court, who led the legal battle against the proposal by hiring Red Bank attorney Ron Gasiorowski, believes the basis for an appeal is now gone because Birnbaum now has a place for the school. She said she was not surprised to hear there was an application for the school in Lakewood as well.

"It made people angry because why did they waste our time and our money if he (Birnbaum) already had this in mind, because there's no way he could have pulled this together in a week to go before the Lakewood Zoning Board," Orsini said. "He had to know months and months ago that it wasn't going to get passed and instead of pulling out, he let it play it's course."

Julie Simeone, 40, who lives off of East Veterans Highway close to the Cross Street site, said she had a feeling there was plan B set up for the school.

"It's interesting how quickly it was set up and how suddenly a cheap piece of land didn't mean so much. So maybe this means the school will stay in Lakewood," Simeone said.

The school currently has 230 students, and looks to enroll as many as 400 at the Rutgers Boulevard site, according to testimony by Brian Flannery, of FWH Associates of Toms River, an engineering firm that testified in Oros Bais Yaakov's Lakewood plan.

It is unclear from the plans filed with Lakewood how many students would attend the high school — architectural drawings show 16 classrooms, four computer labs, a dining room and several small tutoring spaces.

Birnhaum signed an affidavit that says Oros Bais Yaakov owns the Rutgers Boulevard site and only needs a change of use approval from the planning board.

Lakewood's Zoning Board members did not ask any questions about the application before approving it.

Township officials could not say when Oros Bais Yaakov bought the property. A real estate sign at the site, which currently houses a sporting equipment warehouse, says it is sold. The 3-acre property in Lakewood is not even half the size of the 7.5-acre parcel in Jackson, where zoning officials questioned whether the site would be large enough for a school of 400 students.